09/27/2026
𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟑 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 - 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 ⚡️🇬🇹
For Heartland Power lineman Jackson Rice, volunteering for the Guatemala electrification mission was an opportunity to use the skills he has learned at home to make a lasting difference for families and completely change the way they live their lives.
“In turn, I thought it would also be a very eye-opening and humbling experience for me, and it has been,” Jackson adds.
The people and the way they live have made a lasting impression on Jackson. He has been surprised by the homes the crew has encountered and by the happiness of the people living in them, despite having very few material possessions.
The spans of wire are also unlike anything Jackson is accustomed to at home, with multiple spans stretching more than 900 feet. Pulling that much wire through rugged mountain terrain takes a team effort. Local residents help drag wire through the terrain and, when it becomes caught in trees, climb into the branches with machetes to clear limbs so the crew can pull the wire through. They also help dig pole and anchor holes and carry materials.
“It is a lot of hard physical labor,” Jackson says. “The local people do anything they can to help us out.”
Jackson’s favorite work has been the crew’s most recent project, located higher in the mountains.
“The terrain is a little tougher but the views are rewarding,” he said. “Every pole you climb has a great view of the towns below and the mountains.”
One particularly rewarding task required a long hike into the mountains. Rather than make the trip multiple times, the crew decided to try to complete the entire job in one trip, carrying all the materials they would need.
Once they reached the work site, the crew hung a transformer in place by hand and completed the wiring before making the long hike back out.
“A lot of the gear we carry is heavy so the extra weight made it very tiring,” Jackson said. “But when it was done it was very cool to look back down at it from the top.”
But some of Jackson’s favorite memories have nothing to do with poles or wire.
Local residents have begun to recognize the crew’s daily routine. Each morning as the linemen travel up the mountain, children can be found waiting near their gates, waving and smiling. They are there again when the crew heads home.
“It makes me happy to know that I can change their life for the better,” Jackson reflects.
One little girl in particular gave Jackson and the crew a fun memory. She watched them wire her home for a while and then said, “Hola.”
Jackson returned the greeting, and soon she was repeating it frequently.
“If you didn't reply ‘hola’ to her she would get louder and louder till she was screaming ‘HOLA!’” Jackson said.
“The little girl was very friendly and gave us fist bumps the whole time,” Jackson recalls.
Each morning before heading out to work, the group also gathers to pray for their families back home, for one another and for safety during the day's work. For Jackson, it has been another meaningful part of the experience.
“Everyone I've worked with is great,” Jackson said. “Everyone is very easy to work with, whether they're from Iowa, Oklahoma or Colorado. I really couldn't ask for a better group of guys.”
As the project enters its final days, Jackson is especially looking forward to the lighting ceremony at the school.
“Seeing the lights come on with the kids will be something very special, I think. It's going to change their lives in a positive way.”
Jackson is grateful for the many people who have supported him while he has been away.
“I would like to say thank you to my family, friends, community and Heartland Power family for the support and especially for coloring the Flat Jacksons that I got to bring down here with me for the kids,” he said. “None of this could have happened without sacrifice from many, so just a big thank you to everyone involved.”
We’re proud to see Jackson putting his skills to work in a way that will make such a lasting difference for the families and communities in Guatemala. We wish Jackson and the entire crew a safe and successful finish to their time there, and we look forward to celebrating with them as the lights come on! ⚡️💚🇬🇹
